What Should the Vancouver Canucks Do On Deadline Day?

The NHL draft deadline is approaching and the question on the minds of Canucks fans is, what will they do? Do they make a deal for a big name? Add some young depth? Dump salary for a prospect? Or do they stand pat?

One rumour making the rounds is that Mattias Ohlund may be on his way out of Vancouver. Ohlund, the current longest serving Canuck player, is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.

There are those who believe the team should shop the talented blueliner and get something for him while they still have the option. There is a rumour suggesting the team is going to send Ohlund to Florida for Jay Bouwmeester.

While I, as a diehard Canuck fan, hate the thought of Ohlund leaving, I do see the wisdom in this option. Why let a talented player go, and get nothing in return. Bouwmeester might just be a good fit in Vancouver.

And the team won't sacrifice anthing on the blueline.

Another option is making a deal for a big name. I say, they've already done this. Mats Sundin was the big name some people have been waiting for in Vancouver. Yes, he did have a slow start, but Mats is picking up his game quite nicely.

And the team is much better for it. I don't believe another big name is the way to go. The team just simply isn't one which can stockpile big names, and big salaries. So I believe that option is off the table.

Depth is no longer an issue for the team either. Sundin solved that problem up front. The Canucks are no longer a one line team. They've got the Sedins and whoever plays with them. Then there's the Sundin line.

And depending on who they put with him, there may even be a third line available to provide some secondary scoring. The days of stop the Sedins, stop the Canucks, appear to be over.

The defence is decent too, depending on the Ohlund situation. After Ohlund, you've got Salo, Mitchell, Bieksa, Edler, and a couple of other young guys with potential. So again, there is no major issue here. They may consider acquiring another d man just in case they do lose Ohlund to free agency.

Goaltending depth, which has been an issue in the past few years, appears to have been solved. The acquisition of Jason LaBarbera gives the Canucks a viable backup who can fill in for Roberto Luongo when called upon.

The only other viable option is just sticking with the team they've got. The Canucks have been one of the hottest teams in the league in the past month or so. They're getting great goaltending, solid defense, and scoring from a number of sources.

Coach Alain Vigneault has done a great job of molding this team into a hard working bunch who give maximum effort. General Manager Mike Gillis may not want to mess with the chemistry of the team at this point.

The bottom line, for me, is that this team is solid in just about every area. Other than possibly moving Ohlund, be it to the Panthers, or another team if the right deal is proposed, I wouldn't make any moves.

This team has the potential to make some noise in the playoffs. Why mess with that?